Southwest Michigan students win National Merit Scholarships

Several area students have been awarded National Merit Scholarships to be used for their college education. More names will be released in July.

Corporate awards

Five students from Southwest Michigan have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarships. Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

These students are among more than 1,100 graduating high school seniors across the nation to receive this type of award.

Area students include:

• Anna M. Feenstra, a home-schooler from Portage, was awarded a scholarship from Pfizer Inc. These scholarships are provided by Pfizer to the children of employees. Feenstra plans to pursue a career in nursing.

• Jacob T. Klomparens, a graduate of Mattawan High School from Mattawan, was awarded a scholarship from Pfizer Inc. These scholarships are provided by Pfizer to the children of employees. Klomparens plans to pursue a career in chemistry.

• Spencer B. Lenfield, a graduate of Mattawan High School from Paw Paw, was awarded a scholarship from Parker Hannifin Corp. These scholarships are awarded to children of employees on a competitive basis under the sponsorship of the Parker Hannifin Foundation. Lenfield plans to pursue a career in education.

• Garrett E. Marsh, a graduate of Portage Northern High School from Portage, was awarded a scholarship from Eaton Corp. Eaton Charitable Fund sponsors awards for children of employees of Eaton Corp. Marsh plans to pursue a career in physics.

• Stephen A. Timko, a graduate of Vicksburg High School from Vicksburg, was awarded a scholarship from Pfizer Inc. These scholarships are provided by Pfizer to the children of employees. Timko plans to pursue a career in marine research.

College/university awards

Six students from Southwest Michigan have won college- and university-sponsored National Merit Scholarships, worth between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

These students are among more than 2,800 graduating high school seniors across the nation to receive this type of award.

Area students include:

• William J. Drouillard, of Paw Paw, is a graduate of Paw Paw High School. He will attend Alma College in Alma to pursue a career in economics and international business.

• Michael R. Gundlach, a Sturgis High School graduate from Sturgis, plans to pursue a career in psychology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

• Catherine J. Harmon, a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School from Mattawan, will attend Hope College in Holland and pursue a career in medicine.

• Benjamin D. Labbe, a Gull Lake High School graduate from Battle Creek, will attend Michigan State University in East Lansing, where he plans to pursue a career in science.

• Brooke E. Laing, of Schoolcraft, is a graduate of Schoolcraft High School. She will pursue a career in chemical engineering at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

• Lauren E. Tague, a home-schooler from Lawton, will attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., and plans to pursue a career in editing.